Texas HS Athletic Directors Association: Director's Cut
Welcome to The Texas High School Athletic Director's Cut, the official podcast of the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association. Each episode features candid conversations with the state’s top athletic administrators, spotlighting leadership lessons, program innovation, and what’s next in Texas high school sports. Brought to you by THSADA.
Episodes
21 episodes
Turning Belief Into Impact: How One Message Is Reaching Athletes Across the Country
In this THSADA Director’s Cut Hall of Honor Series episode, Stephen Mackey of 2Words shares the mindset, discipline, and mission behind his work impacting coaches and student-athletes across Texas and the nation.Grounded in the belief th...
Proven Leadership Strategies: Mentorship, Honest Conversations & Growth with Jennifer Frazier - McKinney ISD
In this THSADA Director’s Cut Hall of Honor Series episode, Jennifer Frazier of McKinney ISD reflects on her unique path into athletic administration and how mentorship, intentional leadership, and innovation continue to shape her approach....
Hall of Honor Series: Lynn Pool on Family-First Culture, Mentorship & Building a Legacy
In this THSADA Director’s Cut Hall of Honor Series episode, Lynn Pool reflects on a decorated career in education-based athletics as a student-athlete, national championship coach, and athletic administrator.Grounded in loyalty, relation...
Hall of Honor Series: Stan Laing on Servant Leadership, Building Culture, and Developing Coaches at Scale
In this THSADA Director’s Cut Hall of Honor Series episode, Stan Lang reflects on a remarkable 40-year career in education-based athletics, culminating as the District Athletic Director for Northside ISD in San Antonio.Rooted in servant ...
Hall of Honor Series: Leslie Slovak - Career Longevity, Effective Leadership Strategies, and Work-Life Balance
In this THSADA Director’s Cut Hall of Honor Series, Leslie Slovak reflects on a remarkable 30-year career in Richardson ISD and the leadership lessons that shaped her journey from coach to Athletic Director.Known for puttin...
7 Takeaways from the 2026 Spring Sponsor Showcase
In this THSADA Director’s Cut, presented by LED Partners, we recap the 2026 Spring Sponsor Showcase and highlight seven key takeaways that are shaping the future of education-based athletics in Texas.This episode captures t...
Pushed Into Purpose: Andre' Walker’s Path to Leadership
In this THSADA Director’s Cut, Andre' Walker, Senior Executive Director of Athletics and UIL Activities - Houston ISD and THSADA President, shares the experiences and lessons that shaped his journey into athletic leadership.
THSADA Best of 2025 - A Year to Remember
2025 was a landmark year for the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association – a year defined by growth, innovation, and impact. In this special Director’s Cut episode, we take a powerful look back at the moments, voices, and mile...
Voices of Victory: State Champions Panel Highlights
Go back to the 2025 State Conference with a panel of Texas athletic directors who led their programs to state championships in 2025. In this special Director’s Cut episode these leaders share what it takes to build a winning culture, support st...
People, Purpose, and Progress: Leadership Lessons with Dr. Leonard Merrell
In this THSADA Director’s Cut we feature Dr. Leonard Merrell, a longtime Texas public school superintendent, Senior Consultant with the Center for Effective Schools, and member of the THSADA Superintendent TAAC Advisory Committee. I...
From Big Districts to Small-Town Friday Nights: Rodney Chant’s AD Journey
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut powered by KALWALL we sit down with Rodney Chant, Executive Director of Athletics for San Angelo ISD and a THSADA Hall of Honor inductee, to exp...
2025 THSADA Fall Forum Highlights
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we take you inside the 2025 Fall Forum, hosted at Northside ISD, where athletic leaders from across Texas gathered for two days of connection, reflection, and professional growth.From ...
How to Lead Teams and Protect Your Time with Mike Buddie - TCU
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Mike Buddie, Director of Athletics at TCU and former Major League Baseball pitcher.From his playing days in the Yankees organization to leadership role...
Leading Through Chaos with Trev Alberts - Texas A&M University
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Trev Alberts, Director of Athletics at Texas A&M University and former Butkus Award-winning linebacker.From his time as an All-American player at Nebraska, to his years a...
3 Things Every Superintendent Wants from an AD with Richard Kilgore - Bruceville-Eddy ISD
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Richard Kilgore, Superintendent of Bruceville-Eddy ISD and the 2025 THSADA Superintendent of the Year. With 38 years in education — 19 of those as superintendent — Kil...
The Blueprint for Success: Relationships, Communication, and Community with Mike Bass - Alvin ISD
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Coach Mike Bass, a longtime Texas athletic director known for building trust, relationships, and community-centered programs that last.Coach Bass shares his blueprint for suc...
Leading with Purpose: Conflict, Culture & the Heart of Texas High School Sports with Dr. Charles Breithaupt
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Dr. Charles Breithaupt, former Executive Director of the UIL and one of the most influential voices in Texas high school athletics.From humble beginnings in Buna, Texas, to l...
2025 THSADA State Conference Special
Welcome to a special edition of THSADA Director’s Cut, recapping the largest State Conference in association history!In this episode, we dig into the real conversations, leadership lessons, and powerful moments that made this year’s even...
Hall of Honor Series: Trailblazing in Texas with Brenda Marshall - Corpus Christi ISD
In this episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut – Hall of Honor Series presented by GigaTera Lighting, we sit down with Brenda Marshall, a 2025 Hall of Honor inductee and ...
Hall of Honor Series: Todd Vesely - Vision, Grit, & A.I. in Athletics
In Episode 2 of the THSADA Director’s Cut – Hall of Honor Series, we sit down with Todd Vesely, a 2025 THSADA Hall of Honor inductee whose career spans from humble beginnings as a gymnastics coach in Odessa to leading one of the largest ...
Hall of Honor Series: Ray Zepeda Talks UIL Leadership, Legacy & the Texas Way
In this special Hall of Honor Series episode of the THSADA Director’s Cut, we sit down with Ray Zepeda, UIL’s Director of Athletics and a 2025 inductee into the THSADA Hall of Honor.From humble beginnings as...